he Nordic island nation, Iceland, is defined by its dramatic volcanic landscape of geysers, hot springs, waterfalls, glaciers and black-sand beaches. The capital, Reykjavik, home to the majority of the population, runs on geothermal power and offers a renowned nightlife scene as well as Viking history museums. The glaciers in Vatnajökull and Snæfellsnes national parks are popular for ice climbing, hiking and snowmobiling.

Country: Iceland

Capital: Reykjavik

Currency: Icelandic króna ISK

Population: 323,000

Continent: Europe

All classes are taught in English

Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the capital and the largest city of Iceland. It’s the home of two thirds of the country’s population. It’s located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxafloi bay. Many different groups have influenced the shaping of the capital area into the vibrant city it is today. A city which is said to buzz with creative energy and passion. While Reykjavik maintains its small-town feel, it’s still a modern European capital with all the governmental institutions you’d expect to find in a metropolitan city. The city has a thriving culinary scene with many outstanding restaurants, and a diverse cultural life, with a variety of interesting museums, theaters, galleries, sports facilities and some first class universities.

Climate
Despite popular belief, the Icelandic climate is rather mild thanks to the Gulf Stream which brings warm climate from the Atlantic. Temperatures are therefore moderate all year round where the average summer temperature in the capital Reykjavik is 10 °C in July and the highest recorded temperature in the capital area is 24,7°C. The average winter temperature in Reykjavik is about 0°C. During the summer, the nights are bright throughout Iceland and in the month of June the sun never fully goes down.

Transport
There are no public railways in Iceland although there are bus services. Transport from one major town to another, for example Reykjavík to Akureyri, may be by air, private car or by bus. Most of the country’s transport infrastructure is concentrated near the Capital Region.

Security
Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world. Crime rate is extremely low and medical care is excellent.

Government & Public Services
Iceland is a republic, has a written constitution and a parliamentary form of government. The president is elected by direct popular vote for a term of four years, with no term limit. Most executive power rests with the Government, which is elected separately from the presidential elections every four years. Althingi is a legislative body of 63 members elected for a term of four years by popular vote. Anyone who is eligible to vote, with the exception of the President and the judges of the Supreme Court, can stand for parliament. After every election, the President gives one of the parliamentary leaders of the political parties the authority to form a cabinet, usually beginning with the leader of the largest party. If he is not successful, the President will ask another political party leader to form a government. A cabinet of ministers stays in power until the next general election or a new government is formed. The ministers sit in Althingi, but if they have not been elected, they do not have the right to vote in parliament. Judicial power lies with the Supreme Court and the district courts.

How to get to Iceland
Iceland is not as faraway as some might think. The country’s geographical location is mid-way between America and Europe and is therefore a hub for many international routes. As an example, the flying time to London is about 2hours and 40 minutes, and to New York around 5 hours.

Keep in mind, that for springsemester 2016 students need to be in Reykjavík 7th of january.

Cost of living
To give you some some sense of what it costs to live in Iceland, here is information for popular products and/or services. This is the average price, while many of the items can be found cheaper or more expensive. Very often you can lower the price significantly, for example, in fares by purchasing a subscription card.

Residence permits
A foreigner from a country outside of the European Economic Area and/or EFTA, who plans to stay in Iceland for more than three months, must have a valid residence permit.
Citizens from the EEA and EFTA states do not need a special residence permit to stay in Iceland, but must register with Registers Iceland.
School: Residence permits for students are issued to foreigners over the age of 18 who intend to study in Iceland at a university level or other studies meeting university admission requirements. The applicant must be registered for full time studies.Please note: Fall semester – Application and all supporting documents must be received by the Directorate no later than July 1st, in order to grant the permit before semester starts.Please note: Application and all supporting documents must be received by the Directorate no later than November 1st, in order to grant the permit before semester starts.

Housing
IFS helps students arrange rooms or apartments. It offers single rooms with shared access to a bathroom, kitchen and laundry facilities. There are also some double rooms. In each room is a bed and a chair and a desk. IFS can also help to get apartments, but we can not guarantee that they will be obtained.

The seasons and the weather
Despite popular belief, the Icelandic climate is rather mild thanks to the Gulf Stream which brings warm climate from the Atlantic. Temperatures are therefore moderate all year round where the average summer temperature in the capital Reykjavik is 10 °C in July and the highest recorded temperature in the capital area is 24,7°C. The average winter temperature in Reykjavik is about 0°C. During the summer, the nights are bright throughout Iceland and in the month of June the sun never fully goes down.